Recent data from the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) show cases of syphilis are increasing in Iowa, mirroring a trend seen nationally. A total of 209 cases were reported to the health agency through Aug. 31, an 11 percent increase compared to the same time last year. The increase is even more significant when health professionals screened for the early/infectious stages of the disease. Officials identified a 25-percent increase to 142 cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released sexually transmitted disease (STD) data early this month, which showed chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis diagnoses were becoming more common. CDC officials highlighted the risk of congenital syphilis, in which a mother passes the infection on to her child. The disease is easily treated with antibiotics. If left untreated though, it can cause severe developmental issues and organ failure. For the full CDC report and more information, follow the links included with this story on our website.
______
